For certain television services, each television set may be connected to a set top box (STB) and each STB may be connected to a network via a residential gateway (RG). Each STB is associated with a globally unique identifier (GUID) as its device identifier. When a STB is plugged into the RG, it will go through an authentication process to have the GUID registered in the network. If there is more than one STB installed at the residence, there will be multiple GUIDs registered in the network and any related systems. Subscribers do not have access to the GUIDs.
When a STB is not functioning properly, the subscriber may use a self-service channel to attempt to resolve the problem. The self-service channel may prompt the subscriber to provide information to try and determine which STB is not functioning properly. However, the subscriber may not be able to access, view, or otherwise determine the GUID of the malfunctioning STB.